Pressure radiator cap



Dec. 13, 1960 B. F. STANNARD 2,964,214

PRESSURE RADIATOR CAP Filed May 8, 1959 INVENTOR. fi M/flM 5721 IVA/4RD Arron/v57 United States PatentQ PRESSURE RADIATOR CAP Benjamin Franklin Stannard, 4982 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Calif.

Filed May 8, 1959, Ser. No. 812,035

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-44) This invention relates to pressure radiator caps and more particularly it relates to a radiator cap that releases the excess pressure built up by the automobile overheating or similar overheating trouble.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved radiator cap that automatically releases excess pressure in the radiator and relieves the same by providing an outlet for said pressure through the overflow tube.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means actuated by suction to release excess pressure in the radiator and provide an outlet for the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide manually operated cam means to lock the cap to the radiator and readily release the same when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means to increase the efliciency of the cooling system of a motor vehicle without the need for an increase in water capacity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means to allow pressure to form when the engine is operating on heavy duty at which time positive sealing is provided.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations, and arrangements of parts, as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section with parts in elevation of a radiator cap embodying my invention together with a fragment of the radiator, showing the method of attaching the cap.

Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of several parts of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 6 designates the radiator cap body which is preferably metal, formed with a circular flat top 8 having a short, depending flange 10 and a central thickened portion 12.

The radiator 14 has an upstanding, circular channel 16, preferably of metal, said chamber communicating with the radiator proper and having a conventional overflow tube 18 and an outturned flanged rim 20 for the reception of the cap body 6.

A diaphragm 22 is mounted in the body 6, between the rim 20 and the thickened portion 12, said diaphragm having a central spring seat 24. The radiator 14 has a concentric, upturned bead 26 serving in Fig. 2 as a valve seat for an apertured valve washer unit 28. An expansion coil spring 30 is mounted between the seat 24 and unit 28, and normally closes the opening 32 by pressing unit 28 against the bead 26.

The upper valve body 34 is preferably metal and is formed of a hollow cylinder having a reduced, threaded portion 35 extending downward through the apertured unit 28. The body 34 has inwardly sloping bores 36 2,964,214 Patented Dec. 13, 1960 See formed in its top face 38 connecting the chamber 16 with the valve chamber 40. A headed pin 42 extends freely through the aperture 44 of the face 38 with its head 46 positioned in the chamber 40, its diameter being slightly less than the diameter of said chamber to provide a sliding fit.

The free end 48 of the pin 42 is threaded and engages an inwardly threaded bore in the block 50, said block being apertured at 52 for pivotal mounting of the cam clamp 54. The clamp 54 has a bifurcated, arcuate cam portion 56 of preferably elliptical formation, said formation merging into a handle 58.

The threaded portion 35 of the valve body 34 engages internal threads 60 of the lower valve body portion 62, said body having a central aperture 64 and inwardly sloping ports 66 in its lower face 68.

The aperture 64 is tapped for the reception of a headed threaded pin 70, and arranged between the head 72 and face 68 are valve, or vacuum, release washers 74 which are normally urged against said face by an expansion coil spring 76.

In the operation of my invention and with the clamp 54' occupying the position shown in broken lines in Figure l, the loading of the spring 30 maintains the valve 28 closed as shown in Figure 2, to thus pressurize the cooling system for greater efliciency. When it is desired to remove the cap 6, the pressure within the cooling system is first safely released without hazard to the operator by manually operating the handle 58 to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1, to cause the cam 56 to co-act with the cap top 8 in disengaging the valve 28 from the seat 24 against the loading of the spring 30 as shown in this figure, thus enabling the pressure in the cooling system to escape therefrom by by-passing through the chamber 16 and overflow tube 18 to atmosphere.

After the release of the radiator pressure, by safe and convenient manipulation of the handle 58, the latter may be left in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 so as to maintain the valve 28 open during removal of the cap 6 which is accomplished by rotating the cap to a predetermined position at which its depend ing flange 10 disengages the flanged rim 20 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The cap is now safely removed without danger of scalding the operator, for the adding of water to the radiator. Upon reapplying the cap, the handle 58 is restored to the position shown in broken lines in Figure 1 so as to again pressurize the system for added efliciency. When the cooling system reduces in temperature sufficiently to create a vacuum in the radiator, the valve 74 is sucked open against the loading of the spring 76 so as to admit air to the system through the overflow tube 18, ports 36, chamber 40, and ports 66 until the vacuum is relieved.

It is understood that the invention includes all such modifications in the parts and in the arrangements of the parts as shall come within the purview of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A pressure cap for the radiator of a water cooling system having an upstanding filler chamber provided with an annular valve seat and with an overflow above said seat, comprising: a cap having a flat top provided with a central opening and with a flange depending therefrom for attachment to the filler chamber; a diaphragm beneath the top and'having a central opening and a spring seat around same; a valve washer unit coactable with said valve seat and having a central aperture therethrough; upper and lower cup shaped valve bodies co-acting to define a valve chamber; one of said valve bodies being reduced in diameter at its open end to pass through the aperture of said washer unit and being secured tightly in the other of said valve bodies for co- 3 action of the bodies in rigidly clamping the central portion of said washer unit therebetween; the closed end of said upper valve body having a central opening; a pin extending through said openings. of the. upper. valve body, diaphragm and top of the cap, and provided at its inner. end with a head: disposed insaidivalvechamber; an operating handle having a cam at one end; means. pivotally connecting the outer end of said pin to said cam at a location for the cam to engage the central. portion of the top of the ,cap :for co-action of the head of said pin and the closed end of said upper valve body in pulling said washer unit axially to disengage said valve seat upon movement of said handle to one:

extreme position, so-as'to release pressure from the radia- 4 said diaphragm seat and at its other end against said washer unit to urge the latter into engagement with said valve seat upon movement of the handle to another extreme position; the upper and lower valve bodies having ports; and a vacuum relief valve mounted on the lower valve body and spring-urged to close said port of the latter.

References Cited in the fileof this. patent 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,164,450 Eshbaugh et' al. July 4, 1939 2,572,816 Patrick Oct. 23, 1951 2,591,562 Levell Apr. 1, 1952 2,596,070 Friend et a1. May 6, 1952 Reese May 21, 1957 

